A. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to sports and fitness training systems and more specifically, to a training device for boxing, martial arts, reaction time training, or general recreational use, which physically interacts with a user by absorbing blows while throwing punches and counterpunches.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Boxing, kickboxing and martial art sports, referred to herein collectively as “boxing” sports, require a high degree of physical training. Reaction time is of paramount importance, particularly in boxing. As a result, the participants in these sports require a means of maintaining and improving the associated physical skills. In the past, boxers generally attempted to improve their hand-eye coordination and reaction time skills by punching passive devices such as heavyweight bags, speed bags or other types of basically passive targets. Alternatively, these participants have sparred against another fighter to hone their punching and kicking skills. Certain devices have attempted to produce a degree of physical interaction between the user and the devices with some degree of animation, but these devices have not been widely adopted and have not been generally successful in the marketplace.
Two exemplary prior art devices used in the past are the speed bag and double-end bag. The double-end bag is perhaps the only device currently on the market which requires some degree of blocking, dodging, ducking, deflecting, etc, as the bag is struck and then comes back at the user. This sort of simulated action can also be achieved, to some limited degree, with a speed bag by the user hitting the bag and, as it bounces back and forth, dodging the bag before it is hit again. Even with these capabilities, the speed bag and double-end bag fall far short of simulating the actual experience of boxing.
Thus, each of the two primary prior art training techniques, the passive bag or the use of a sparring partner, has its deficiencies. The passive devices only receive blows and offer little active resistance to the fighter. Sparring with another individual can cause injury to the participants of the sport. Medical research has shown that boxing and contact martial arts can cause various medical problems including such things as concussions, brain damage, injury to various parts of the head such as the mouth, eye and ear. Even an individual holding a pad while the participant strikes the pad may also be subject to injury.
The prior art training devices, for the most part, fail to provide a real-life sparring opportunity because they only accept punches without delivering punches or counterpunching. Thus, these devices are inadequate in preparing a boxer for a competitive match. A boxer must utilize the services of a sparring partner in order to properly prepare for competitive matches or bouts. They may also be ineffective in helping to improve the reaction time of a boxer, because of the inherently passive and somewhat clumsy nature of the devices.
Thus, there remains a need for a universal training apparatus which does not posses the disadvantages associated with the training devices of the prior art.
There exists a need, therefore, for a physical training interaction device in which physical movement of the device resembles the real life movement of a potential opponent, such as the punch delivered by a boxing opponent.
A need also exists for a device which will aid and/or develop timing and/or reaction skills of a participant using the training device.
In addition, a need exists for such a device which will train and/or improve hand and eye coordination, as well as promoting the general physical condition of a user, such as by providing a cardiovascular workout.
A further need exists for a device having the inherent physical characteristics which upon impact or engagement with the user provide a realistic feel of the timing skills needed in boxing or hand-to-hand combat.
A still further need exists for such a training device which may be adjusted for various physical attributes of the user or desired type of training and which allows for specific programmability of the training device.
There exists a need for such a device which is relatively simple in design and economical to manufacture.